Three-dimensional fabric, and method and loom construction for the production thereof

ABSTRACT

Method of weaving a three-dimensional fabric which comprises the steps of inserting a number of doubled weft yarns between the layers of the warp yarns, securing the loops which connect the weft yarns by means of a binder yarn threaded therethrough, inserting vertical yarns between the vertical rows of warp yarns perpendicularly to the weft and warp yarns, and after repeating the first two steps beating the woven yarn with a reed. A loom for carrying out this process is also disclosed.

[in 3,834,424 [451 Sept. 10,1974

United States Patent [191 Fukuta et al.

S T N m M m s SE m mT .ms R w n N U m U THREE-DIMENSIONAL FABRIC, AND

METHOD AND LOOM CONSTRUCTION FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF 2,670,012 2/1954Voumard et 139/11 0700 0 H D 93M 9 399 3 n m m m m A m m E. m

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ABSTRACT Method of weaving a three-dimensional fabric which comprisesthe steps of inserting a number of doubled ft yarns between the layersof the war curingvthe loops which connect the we means of a binderyarnthreaded therethrou ing vertical yarns between the vertical r0 yarnsperpendicularly to the weft and wa first two steps beating the wovenyarn with a reed. A loom for can is also disclosed.

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6 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures a I lhlp f 7 3 PAIENIE s5? 2 01914THREE-DIMENSIONAL FABRIC, AND METHOD AND LOOM CONSTRUCTION FOR THEPRODUCTION THEREOF FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to athree dimensional fabric woven of warp, weft and vertical yarns and to amethod and a loom for the production thereof.

Three-dimensional fabrics have extensive usage, for example, as brakelinings, as fillers for valves and as reinforcing material.

Existing three-dimensional fabrics are mostly formed by superposing orlaminating multiple layers of plane or flat fabrics with use of asuitable adhesive agent, or by connecting more than two layers of planefabrics to an intermediate fabric layer. These fabrics can be said tohave a three-dimensional shape but do not have a three-dimensionalconstruction in a strict sense because of the use of merely two types ofyarns, i.e., warp and weft yarns. With the so-called woven belt in whichthe thickness in the vertical direction of the belt is imparted byinterweaving weft yarns with a portion of warp yarns, the thickness ofthe fabric is limited anditis difficult to obtain a three-dimensionalfabric construction of a desired thickness. More recently, there hasbeen introduced a three-dimensional fabric of a small block form havinga side of several centimeters in section, which is formed byinterweaving glass fibres in three different directions which areperpendicular to each other. However, such woven belt does not suit forproduction on an industrial scale since it requires a great amount ofmanual labor and efforts for interconnecting individual yarns portion byportion and naturally has limitations in the size of the fabric to bewoven.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention has as its object theprovision of a three-dimensional fabric construction and a weavingmethodand apparatus for the production thereof, which allow formation ofthe three-dimensional fabric on an industrial scale, in a desired sizeand in the same simple manner as in weaving of flat fabrics, thethreedimensional fabric being imparted with sufficient mechanicalstrengths in all directions by means of groups of warp, weft andvertical yarns which are interwoven perpendicularly to each other.

When weaving a three-dimensional fabric of desired length, width andthickness by interweaving warp, weft and vertical yarns perpendicularlyto each other, a first question that occurs first is by what method andapparatus an intended fabric construction is obtained in a simplemanner. This question also relates to determination of the particularweave construction to be employed in the three-dimensional fabricintended.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, a three-dimensionalfabric is formed efficiently by a simple method and apparatus which arecomperable to those of flat fabrics, the threedimensional fabric beingformed by repeating a cycle of operation which comprises the steps ofinserting doubled weft yarns which are looped at fore ends thereof intospaces between warp yarns which are parallelly aligned in vertical andhorizontal directions to provide a number of warp layers and rows,securing the weft yarns by inserting a selvage binder yarn into the weftloops, and introducing vertical yarns into spaces between vertical rowsof the warp yarns.

In the loom construction according to the present invention, the forefeeding ends of a vertical yarn inserting device are curved in one andsame direction for feeding the vertical yarns with a space behind lastlyinserted vertical yarns to allow insertion of a weft insertingdevicetherethrough. The weft inserting device is provided at the foreend thereof with a weft guide hole for receiving a weft yarn and with arecessed portion within a loop formed by the weft yarn for passing abinder threading needle, thus simplifying the loom construction andcarrying out the weaving operation in a secure manner.

According to the method and loom construction of the present inventionthere is provided a threedimensional fabric construction whichcomprises: a plurality of warp yarns parallelly aligned in horizontaland vertical directions to form a number of horizontal warp layers andvertical warp rows; a number of weft yarns inserted into spaces betweenthe respective warp layers of said warp yarns in a directionperpendicular thereto and being turned at one side of said fabric arounda vertical yarn and at the other side around a binder yarn which isinserted into loops formed by said weft yarns at said other side of saidfabric for holding said weft yarns securely in position; and a number ofvertical yarns inserted into spaces between the respec-' tive verticalwarp rows of said warp yarns in a direction perpendicular to both ofsaid warp yarns and said weft yarns and turned around outermost weftyarns at both sides of said fabric.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ple a weft inserting device accordingto the present invention;

FIGS. 3(A) to FIG. 3(D) are diagrams showing the steps of the weftinserting operation by the device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified structure of the weftinserting device according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view diagrammatically showing binder threadingand connecting operations;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing details of an upper vertical yarninserting device employed in the loom according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a side view showing interweaving operation of the weft andvertical yarns;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing in plan view the yarn arrangment in thethree-dimensional fabric construction formed by the method according tothe present invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the same fabric construction in side view;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a loom embodying the presentinvention; and

FIG. 1 1 is a diagram showing a weaving program for forming thethree-dimensional fabric according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of thepresent invention will now be described particularly and in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. I which diagrammatically shows weaving operationaccording to the present invention, wherein the warp yarns Y,Y,Y, Y arepassed through a reed 1 through a number of holes formed therein atuniform intervals in both horizontal and vertical directions, the warpyarns being supported and tensioned suitably by a pair of supportingmembers 2 and 3 which-are located at both ends of the loom as will bedescribed in more greater detail with reference to FIG. 10. The warpyarns Y are arranged in multiple layers each of which has a number ofyards which run in one horizontal plane in parallel relation with or atan equal space from adjacent yarns. The warp yarns of the respectivelayers are in vertical alignment, forming regularly spaced vertical warprows.

In order to pick in weft yarns X,X,X X and verti-' cal yarns Z,Z ,2 intothe horizontally and vertically aligned warp yarns, the weft insertingdevice 6 is first picked transversely or perpendicularly to the warpyarns while maintaining the upper and lower vertical yarn insertingdevices 4 and 5 in the upper and lower retracted positions as shown inFIG. 1, each of the weft yarns X,X, X being inserted between the warplayers in double fold forming a loop at the .fore end thereof. The weftinserting device 6 is temporarily stopped when the looped fore ends. ofthe weft yarns are projected out of the warp yarns on the opposite sidefor threading a binder yarn P.

FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows the construction of the weft insertingdevice by way of example, wherein the weft inserting device 6 comprisesa number of elongated picking plates 7,7, ,7 which are spaced from eachother at the same distance as the warp layers and are securely supportedon a supporting member 8 for insertion into the spaces between therespective layers of the tensioned warp yarns. Each one of the pickingplate 7 has the tip end thereof bifurcated by a forwardly openedU-shaped notch or cut-away portion 9. One of the bifurcated end portionsof the picker plate 7 is transversely formed with a weft guide throughhole 10 which extends from the outer side of the plate to the notched orrecessed inner side while the other, bifurcated end portion of thepicking plate has formed on the tip end face thereof with a weft guidegroove 11 for engagement with a weft yarn. I

The operation performed by the weft inserting device 6 mentioned abovewill now be described with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3D. Afterpositioning of the vertical yarns Z,Z, ,Z, the picking plates 7 of theweft inserting device 6 are passed into the respective spaces betweenthe warp yarn layers as shown in FIG. 3A. In this instance, the weftinserting device 6 catches and holds the weft yarns in the weft guidegrooves l 1 in the vicinity of the first row of the warp yarns, andadvances transversely of the warp rows as shown in FIG. 3B for fillingin the weft yarns. When the fore ends of the picking plates 7 of theweft inserting device 6 are projected outwardly on the other side of thewarp yarns, the weft inserting device 6 is temporarily stopped forthreading a binder yarn into the looped ends of the weft yarns by meansof a selvage binder inserting needle 12 which will be describedhereinlater. This binder threading operation is shown particularly at(C) of FIG. 3. After insertion of the selvage binder yarn, the weftyarns X are disengaged from the weft guide grooves 11 as the weftinserting device 6 is retracted to the initial position, guiding theweft yarns X under tensioned conditions by means of theweft guide holes10 as shown at (D) of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 shows a modified structure of the weft inserting device. In thismodification, the weft picker is provided with a number of pickingplates 7a which are similar to those of the embodiment described abovebut each has at the fore end thereof a sidewardly opened U-shaped recess9a and a weft guide hole 10a which extends transversely through thepicking plate 7a at the tip end thereof. When this modified weftinserting plate 7a is employed, in order to prevent the binder insertingneedle 12 and the binder yarn from hitting on the edges of the recessedportion 9a, it is preferred to take measures for displacing the wholepicking plate or the fore end portion thereof in a suitable direction ormeasures for displacing the selvage binder insertion needle 12 when itis disengaged from the recessed portion 9a.

The selvage formation is carried out by passing from above a binderinserting needle 12 which holds a binder yarn P in its needle hole 13through vertically aligned weft loops as shown in FIG. 5. When thebinder inserting needle 12 is passed through the weft loops, a selvagesecuring latch needle 14 is advanced toward the binder insertion needle12 to catch the binder yarn P, the latch needle 14 returning to theinitial position after catching the binder yarn P. In this instance, thelatch 15 of the latch needle 14 is adapted to be closed as it hits on aguide member which is provided in the path of movement of the latchneedle 14 and the binder yarn P caught by the latch needle 14 is passedthrough a binder loop formed in the previous cycle of operation. Afterthe binder yarn P is caught by the latch needle 14, the binder insertionneedle 12 is returned to its initial upper position.

The weaving of the binder P atthe selvage may be carried out by simplymoving the binder inserting needle 12 up and down through the weft loopswithout using the latch needle as mentioned hereinabove.

During or after the binder weaving operation, the weft inserting device6 retracts to its initial position and the reed 1 beats up the weftyarns which have been picked in between the respective warp layers.

Upon completion of one cycle of weft inserting operation, the upperandlower vertical yarn inserting devices 4 and 5 are simultaneously loweredand raised, respectively, for introducing the upper and lower verticalyarns Z,Z, ,Z and Z',Z', ,2, into the spaces between the vertical rowsof the warp yarns.

FIG. 6 diagramatically shows details of the construction of the uppervertical yarn inserting device 4, which comprises a plurality ofvertical yarn picking pipes 16 of metallic material with the lower endsthereof curved in the same direction, each vertical yarn picker pipebeing secured on a supporting member 17 parallel to and at a suchdistance from adjacent pipes that one picking pipe is inserted intoevery two spaces between the vertical rows of the warp yarns. Thisvertical picking means is not necessarily required to be formed from apipe and instead a flat plate with a guide means for the vertical yarnmay be used.

The lower vertical yarn inserting device 5 may have the sameconstruction as the upper vertical picking means 4 with the verticalyarn picking pipes 16 in an inversed position for introducing frombeneath the lower vertical yarns into he spaces between the verticalrows of the warp yarns, in such a manner the spaces between the verticalwarp rows receive alternately the upper and lower vertical yarn pickingpipes.

The upper vertical yarns Z,Z, ,Z which .are fed from bobbins are guidedinto the respective picking pipes 16 from the upper ends thereof and aretaken out through the curved lower ends. The lower vertical yarns Z',Z,,Z are fed in he same manner except that they are guided into he lowerpicking pipes from the lower ends and taken out through the upper curvedends thereof.

The upper and lower vertical yarn picking devices 4 and 5 start movementinto the warp yarns from the respective positions shown in FIG. 1 whenone cycle of weft picking operation has been completed. The pickingpipes 16 and 18 of the upper and lower vertical yarn picking devices 4and 5 are inserted alternately into the spaces between the vertical rowsof warp yarns, as shown in FIG. 7, until the curved fore ends of thepipes 16 and 18 projected outwardly from the opposite upper and lowerside of the aligned warp yarns, respectively. The upper and lowervertical yarns 2,2 are turned around the lowermost and uppermost weftyarn layers perpendicularly thereto in the spaces between the verticalrows of the warp yarns Y,Y, ,Y.

The weft yarns X,X, ,X are then inserted again in the same manner asdescribed hereinbefore. In this instance, the picker plates 7 of theweft yarn inserting device 6 should be introduced into the spacesbetween the warp layers without hitting on the vertical yarn pickingpipes 16 and 18. For this purpose, the fore end portions of the verticalyarn picking pipes 16 and 18 are curved to provide a space beneath andover the upper and lower vertical yarn picking pipes 16 and 18 to allowinsertion of the weft inserting device 6 therethrough, the width of thespace being slightly larger than the width of the weft picking plates 7.

Referring to FIG. 7, when the weft yarns are picked in by the weftinserting device 6 and the binder yarn P has been passed through theloops formed at the fore ends of the respective doubled weft yarns, theweft inserting device 6 is retracted to complete one cycle of weftpicking operation. After the retract of the weft inserting device 6, theupper and lower vertical yarn inserting devices 4 and 5 are retracted tothe respective upper and lower positions, thus filling in the upper "andlower vertical yarns Z and Z. A three-dimensional fabric may be woven byrepeating the various operations described above.

FIG. 8 diagramatically shows in a plan view the weave construction ofthe three-dimensional fabric formed in the manner as describedhereinbefore, while FIG. 9 shows the same weave construction in a sideelevation. It will be seen from these figures that, in the fabricconstruction according to the present invention, the weft yarns areinterwoven with and extended over the .entire width of the warp yarnswhich-are tensioned parric and by the outermost warp yarn at the otherside. On the other hand, the upper and lower vertical yarns Z and Z areturned around at the top and bottom of the fabric in such a manner as toconnect adjacent two weft yarns together in a position between thevertical rows of the warp yarns.

Examples of materials which are useful for weaving the three-dimensionalfabric according to the present invention are ordinary organic fibrousmaterials such as cotton, linen, wool, nylon, polyester andpolypropyrene and the like and other inorganic fibrous materials such asglass fibre, carbon fibre, metallic fibre. asbestos and the like. Itwill be appreciated that the fibrous materials just mentioned may beused in a spinned form or in the form of a filament.

FIG. 10 shows a loom which is adapted to produce a three-dimensionalfabric in accordance with the weaving method discussed hereinbefore. Theapparatus shown in FIG. 10 has the weft picking or inserting device 6on-an opposite side of the warp yarn rows as compared to the embodimentshown hereinbefore. It will understood that this makes no materialdifference.

Referring to FIG. 10, the loom is supported on a machine frame 19 whichhas mounted at the fore and rear ends thereof a pair of supportingplates 2 and 3. The supporting plate 2 has a plurality of fine holes atsuch positions suitable for holding the fore ends of the horizontallyand vertically aligned warp yarns. The fore ends of the warp yarns whichare passed through these fine holes are secured in position by suitablemeans provided on the opposite or rear side of the warp supporting plate2. The other supporting plate 3 is also provided with a number of fineholes in a similar manner. The other or rear ends of the warp yarns arepassed through these fine holes of the warp supporting plate 3 and haveweights suspended therefrom for imparting suitable tension to thealigned warp yarns.

The reed member 1 passing the warp rows, upper vertical yarn insertingmeans 4, lower vertical yarn inserting means 5, weft inserting means,binder threading needle 12 and mechanisms for operating these componentparts are all supported on a carrier 21 which is mounted on and movableback and forth along guide rods 22 which are fixed on the machine frame19 on each side thereof. As the weaving of the fabric proceeds byrepeating the cycle of operation which consists of insertion of weftyarns, insertion of vertical yarns, threading of the binder yarn, thecarrier 21 is moved toward the unwoven ends of the warp yarns by anecessary distance by rotating a rod screw 24 by a motor.

The upper vertical yarn inserting device 4 mounted on the carrier 21 hasa construction as described hereinbefore with reference to FIG. 6 andhas vertical inserting yarns Z,Z, ,2 fed from bobbins 25. The uppervertical yarn inserting device 4 has a moving member connected to thesupporting member 8 thereof, the moving member 26 is movable up and downunder a guidance of a suitable guide means which is not shown in thedrawings. The upward and downward movements of the moving plate member26 are imparted by rotation of a rod screw 27 which is threadedtherethrough. The rod screw 27 is connected, through an electromagneticbreakes 28, 28 and electromagnetic clutches 29, 29 to a pair of motors30, 30 which are adapted to rotate in opposite directions.

With the two motors 30, 30, the direction of rotation of the rod screw27 may be changed promptly by sending operation signals to theelectromagnetic breakes 28, 28 and electromagnetic clutches 29, 29 inaccordance with weaving cycles of the vertical yarns for imparting therequired upward and downward movements to the upper vertical yarninserting device 4, without changing the directions of rotation of therespective motors 30, 30.

The lower vertical inserting yarns Z',Z, ,Z fed from bobbins 31 are, asmentioned hereinbefore, introduced into the spaces between the verticalrows of the warp yarns by the lower vertical yarn inserting device whichis also movable up and down under guidance of a suitable guide means(not shown) and to which upward and downward movements are imparted by arod screw 32 in a manner similar to the upper vertical yarn insertingmeans 4. In this instance, the direction of such movements may suitablybe switched by connecting and disconnecting the motors 35, 35 whichrotates in opposite directions, through operation of electromagneticbrakes 33, 33 and electromagnetic clutches 34,

The upward and downward movements of the lower vertical yarn insertingdevice 5 may be synchronized with the movements of the upper verticalyarn inserting means 4. However, the movements of the upper and lowervertical yarn inserting means 4 and 5 may be staggered, if desired.

On the other hand, the weft inserting device 6 which functions to'pickthe weft yarns into the rows of warp yarns has a construction asdescribed hereinbefore with reference to FIG. 2 and has the weft yarnsfed from weft bobbin 36 through a guide member 37. The supporting member8 of the weft inserting device 6 is mounted such that it is moved towardand away from the warp yarn rows by rotation of a rod screw 38.Horizontal reciprocating movements are imparted to the supporting memberof the weft inserting means 6 by a pair of motors which are adapted torotate in opposite directions, through electromagnetic brakes 40, 40 andelectromagnetic clutches 41, 41 in a manner similar to the feedofvertical yarns.

The upward and downward movements of the selvage binder threading needle12 are imparted by rotation of a motor 43 through a screw 42 forthreading the binder yarn through the loops formed at the fore ends ofthe doubled weft yarns.

The latch needle 14 is deleted from FIG. 10 for simplicity ofillustration. However, it shouldbe noted that the latch needle 14 isreciprocated for catching the binder yarn by means of a eccentric cammember 47 which is rotated by a motor 44 through an electromagneticbrake 45 and electromagnetic clutch 46, and a return spring 48.

The reed 1 is moved toward the woven fabric at suitable intervals timefor beating the filled-in weft and vertical yarns. In this instance, thereed 1 alone may be moved by a motor and the like or the carrier 21supporting the reed 1 thereon may be moved by means of the motor 23 forthis purpose.

In the embodiment described hereinbefore, the rows of the warp yarns aredescribed as being fixedly supported in a horizontal position while thecarrier 21 is moved for forming the three-dimensional fabric. However,it is possible to design and construct the loom such that the horizontaland vertical rows of the warp yarns are fed into the carrier which isheld in a stationary position for carrying out the picking operations ofthe weft and vertical yarns, thus forming a threedimensional fabric in acontinuous manner.

Furthermore, it is also possible to hold the tensioned warp yarns in avertical position, inserting horizontally the weft and vertical yarnsfrom two different directions which are perpendicular to each other.Such loom requires only a small floor space and thus is particularlyadvantageous for industrial applications.

FIG. 11 shows an example of operation program of the loom mentionedabove, wherein the solid lines extending beneath the step numbers showpositions, upper and lower or forward and backward, of the variousoperating parts or components indicated on the lefthand of therespective lines. In case of the carrier, for example, the line showsthe retracting timing in the weaving process.

While specific forms of the present invention have been disclosed in theforegoing description, it will be understood that various modificationswithin the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in theart. Therefore, it is intended that no limitation be placed on theinvention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

In the FIG. 11, U.V.Y.I.D" is upper vertical yarn insetting device,L.V.Y.l.D is lower vertical yarn inserting device, W.I.D is weftinserting device, B.I.N is binder inserting needle, S.S.L.N is selvagesecuring latch needle, RE is reed and CA is carrier.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for weaving a three-dimensional fabric, characterized inthat said method comprises the steps of:

a. inserting a number of doubled weft yarns which are connected by aloop at the respective fore ends thereof into spaces between layers ofwarp yarns which are in horizontal and vertical alignment and maintainedunder tensioned conditions,

b. threading a binder yarn through the loops at the fore end of saidweft yarns for securing the same in position;

c. inserting vertical yarns into spaces between vertical rows of saidwarp yarns in a direction perpendicular to both said warp and weftyarns;

d. repeating the steps (a) and (b) after insertion of said verticalyarns; and

e. beating the woven yarns by a reed at a suitable time between theforegoing steps.

'2. A loom for weaving a three-dimensional fabric, comprising;

a. a supporting member for supporting warp yarns which are maintained invertical and horizontal alignment under tensioned conditions;

b. a reed provided at a position where weft and vertical yarns areinserted into said warp yarns for maintaining said warp yarns invertical and horizontal alignment and movable back and forth in thedirection of the warp yarns for beating weft and vertical yarns whichhave been interwoven;

c. a weft inserting device movable in a direction perpendicular to saidwarp yarns for inserting weft yarns into spaces between layers of saidwarp yarns;

d. a binder threading needle for threading a binder yarn into loops atthe fore ends of said weft inserting device which are located in thespaces between the respective layers of said warp yarns when said foreends of said weft inserting device have passed through said warp yarns;

e. a vertical yarn inserting device movable in a direction perpendicularto both said warp and weft yarns and has a first stop position retractedfrom said warp yarns and a second stop position passed through said warpyarns for allowing insertion of said weft yarns; and

f. means for displacing said reed, weft inserting device, vertical yarninserting device and binder threading needle relatively with respect toand in the direction along the length of said warp yarns.

3. A loom for weaving a three-dimensional fabric as set forth in claim2, characterized in that fore end portions of said vertical yarninserting device from which said vertical yarns are led out are curvedin the same direction to provide a space behind lastly inserted verticalyarns to allow insertion of said weft yarn inserting device.

4. A loom for weaving a three-dimensional fabric as set forth in claim2, characterized in that said weft yarn inserting device is provided atthe fore end thereof with a weft guid hole for inserting a weft yarn andwith a recessed portion within looped fore end of said weft yarns forpassing therethrough said binder yarn threading needle.

5. A loom for weaving a three-dimensional fabric as set forth in claim2, characterized in that said loom further comprises a latch needlewhich is movable toward and away from said for catching a binder yarnloop through a loop formed in a previous cycle of operation when saidbinder threading needle has been passed through said weft loops.

6. A loom for weaving a three-dimensional fabric as set forth in claim2, characterized in that said supporting member for said warp yarns issecurely mounted on a machine frame, and said reed, weft yarn insertingdevice, vertical yam inserting device and binder threading needle aremounted on a carrier which is movable along the length of said warpyarns.

1. A method for weaving a three-dimensional fabric, characterized inthat said method comprises the steps of: a. inserting a number ofdoubled weft yarns which are connected by a loop at the respective foreends thereof into spaces between layers of warp yarns which are inhorizontal and vertical alignment and maintained under tensionedconditions, b. threading a binder yarn through the loops at the fore endof said weft yarns for securing the same in position; c. insertingvertical yarns into spaces between vertical rows of said warp yarns in adirection perpendicular to both said warp and weft yarns; d. repeatingthe steps (a) and (b) after insertion of said vertical yarns; and e.beating the woven yarns by a reed at a suitable time between theforegoing steps.
 2. A loom for weaving a three-dimensional fabric,comprising; a. a supporting member for supporting warp yarns which aremaintained in vertical and horizontal alignment under tensionedconditions; b. a reed provided at a position where weft and verticalyarns are inserted into said warp yarns for maintaining said warp yarnsin vertical and horizontal alignment and movable back and forth in thedirection of the warp yarns for beating weft and vertical yarns whichhave been interwoven; c. a weft inserting device movable in a directionperpendicular to said warp yarns for inserting weft yarns into spacesbetween layers of said warp yarns; d. a binder threading needle forthreading a bInder yarn into loops at the fore ends of said weftinserting device which are located in the spaces between the respectivelayers of said warp yarns when said fore ends of said weft insertingdevice have passed through said warp yarns; e. a vertical yarn insertingdevice movable in a direction perpendicular to both said warp and weftyarns and has a first stop position retracted from said warp yarns and asecond stop position passed through said warp yarns for allowinginsertion of said weft yarns; and f. means for displacing said reed,weft inserting device, vertical yarn inserting device and binderthreading needle relatively with respect to and in the direction alongthe length of said warp yarns.
 3. A loom for weaving a three-dimensionalfabric as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that fore end portionsof said vertical yarn inserting device from which said vertical yarnsare led out are curved in the same direction to provide a space behindlastly inserted vertical yarns to allow insertion of said weft yarninserting device.
 4. A loom for weaving a three-dimensional fabric asset forth in claim 2, characterized in that said weft yarn insertingdevice is provided at the fore end thereof with a weft guid hole forinserting a weft yarn and with a recessed portion within looped fore endof said weft yarns for passing therethrough said binder yarn threadingneedle.
 5. A loom for weaving a three-dimensional fabric as set forth inclaim 2, characterized in that said loom further comprises a latchneedle which is movable toward and away from said for catching a binderyarn loop through a loop formed in a previous cycle of operation whensaid binder threading needle has been passed through said weft loops. 6.A loom for weaving a three-dimensional fabric as set forth in claim 2,characterized in that said supporting member for said warp yarns issecurely mounted on a machine frame, and said reed, weft yarn insertingdevice, vertical yarn inserting device and binder threading needle aremounted on a carrier which is movable along the length of said warpyarns.